gdstokes

          ❤️❤️Poem for Annie❤️❤️
          
          As I lay in my bed wondering about the mysteries of life,
          I can say love was taught by you Ann and Annette. 
          Bravery, truth, hard work, and faith was fruits of your tree bestowed upon my genetics.
          Bravery because you dared not to let your four boys suffer not to have....
          A hot meal, shoes on feet, clothes on backs, and a warm bath.
          Bravery because you choose to keep God first and practiced your faith honestly and never failed to give God praised.
          For every gobble of food raised,
          For every work check paid,
          Your foundation was laid, 
          To every onlooker that saw would say....Jesus is upon her head.
          
          Truth because you never gave a faulty story about life. 
          You taught me that to make it you must work hard and only then you can have a good life.
          Truth of what it means to sacrifice your personal wealth and health so that another can have school clothes, shoes, football camp items and much more.
          The truth that she will never be a college grad but I will have opportunity upon opportunity if I work hard and stop hanging with those "bad ass boys" that I hang with. 
          The truth that my parents have lived their life and it's up to me to progress my generation. 
          
          She taught me that hard work is the key. I remember when you used walk me to school in the snow, cook breakfast, dinner, and pick me up from school and have it ready for me at your house. 
          Only by your grace I was blessed to have love unconditionally. 
          
          I have faith because if God can do all this for you with hard-work and faith I'm all in for Jesus. 
          For this my two Anns I'm forever thankful for your grace and sacrifice.
          I miss you and Love you forever. I love you Annette Stokes! I love you Annie Lee Winkfield!
          
          A grandson missing his grandmothers.
          
          
          

           “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
           – Marianne Williamson